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The Environment Agency has issued flood warnings for three Yorkshire rivers which have been swollen by days of heavy rain. There are four flood warnings in place on the River Ouse - three of them in and around York. There are also warnings for the River Swale at Kirby Wiske and for the River Ure.

Flooded Tower Gardens, in York Credit: ITV Calendar

Riverside footpaths in York are flooded. Credit: ITV Calendar

Environment Agency officials monitoring the Ouse in York say it is currently 3.7 metres or 12 feet 3 ins and is expected to stay at or around this level throughout Sunday. The typical river level range is between 0.05 metres and 1.90 metres.

Tower Gardens under water in York. Credit: ITV Calendar

Despite the flood warnings for riverside properties, tourism officials insist York is open for business. 40,000 visitors are expected for the annual Jorvik Viking Festival, which began on Saturday.

The Kings Arms pub, in York Credit: ITV Calendar

The worst flooding to hit the city in recent years was in November 2000, when the Ouse peaked at 5.4 metres or about 17 ft 8ins. That led to thousands of residents being evacuated from their homes and the army being called in to build makeshift sandbag defences.

There are calls on the government to make it quicker for flood defence schemes to be given the go-ahead.

A tidal barrier in Boston, which experts say would have prevented Thursday night's flooding isn't due to be built until at least 2019. Campaigners say the Haven Barrage has been in the planning for at least ten years and that approval for it has taken too long because of red tape

Michael Billington reports on the aftermath of Thursday's floods in Boston in Lincolnshire where the Environment Secretary has been visiting the worst affectged communities along the East Coast. The cleanup is continuing in Boston, where hundreds of homes were under water.

We are putting exceptional amounts of money into flood defences and we are confident that at the end of this government we will have protected a significant number of properties, but when you see the damage done, you'll see that that money is really well worth spending. It's not just the personal tragedy, but the serious disruption to people's lives and businesses. "

– Owen Paterson, Environment Secretary

Environment Secretary Owen Paterson has been visiting flood-hit communities along the East Coast.